Alessandra MORETTI

Policy topics Alessandra MORETTI is active on

What Alessandra MORETTI has said (21)

• 2025-09-19 “E-003638/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is aware of recent news from Italy concerning images of women shared without consent on websites and platforms with accompanying sexist and violent comments. The Commission is working to ensure that providers of online platforms comply with the Digital Services Act 1 (DSA), including the notice and action mechanism to report illegal content. Platforms made aware of illegal material must remove it promptly or risk liability. Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Search Engines (VLOSEs) face enhanced obligations, including risk assessments and measures to address systemic risks such as gender-based violence, breaches of dignity and privacy, and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images. The 2024 Directive on combating violence against women 2 criminalises cyber-violence offences, such as non-consensual sharing of intimate or manipulated images. Member States must transpose it by 2027, further strengthening DSA enforcement and ensuring platforms act against illegal content, particularly targeting women and girls. The Council recently adopted a decision enabling the EU and Member States to sign the UN Convention against Cybercrime, which, once in force, can improve cross-border investigations of non-consensual sharing of intimate images, which the Convention criminalises through its Article 16. The DSA does not empower the Commission to order the removal of content, but judicial or national authorities may order platforms to act against items considered illegal under national or EU law. Orders are shared with national Digital Services Coordinators (DSCs) according to DSA Article 9. Through the European Board for Digital Services, the Commission and DSCs regularly meet to coordinate enforcement. 1 Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single Market For Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act) (Text with EEA relevance), OJ L 277, 27.10.2022, pp. 1–102. 2 Directive (EU) 2024/1385 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on combating violence against women and domestic violence, OJ L, 2024/1385, 24.5.2024.”
  Regulation of pornography in the EU · Privacy & detection of online child abuse · Digital platforms liability for harmful and illegal content
• 2025-02-11 “E-000612/2025 Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Kallas on behalf of the European Commission In accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2735 (2024) 1 , the EU rejects any attempt at demographic or territorial changes in the Gaza Strip and supports unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority (PA), as the EU made clear on the occasion of the 13th EU-Israel Association Council held on 24 February 2025 2 . This is also in line with the five key principles set by the President of the Commission in November 2023 on Gaza (Gaza to be an essential part of the future Palestinian State, and no forced displacement of Palestinians) 3 . The EU has been constantly clear in affirming its unwavering commitment to the two-state solution; this is the only solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The High Representative/Vice-President will continue to spare no effort to revive the political process towards the two-state solution. The EU is the biggest provider of external assistance to the Palestinians. The PA is the EU’s key partner and the EU will continue to provide support to encourage further reforms, also in view of the PA’s return to Gaza. To address the dire economic situation in the West Bank and avoid further destabilisation, the Commission announced on 19 July 2024 a two-step approach of short-term emergency financial support and a multi-year programme of support 4 . The EU disbursed almost EUR 400 million in emergency financial assistance between July and November 2024, following the completion of a number of prior reform actions agreed with the PA. The EU is now working on a multi-year comprehensive programme for Palestinian recovery and resilience, which will be based on a mutually agreed ambitious reform agenda of the PA. 1 https://docs.un.org/en/s/RES/2735(2024) 2 https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-6511-2025-INIT/en/pdf 3 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_23_5646 4 https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/news/european-commission-and-palestinian-authority-agree-emergencyfinancial-support-and-principles-2024-07-19_en”
  Relations with Israel - Palestine · EU-US relations
• “8th of March, Women's Day. But there's not much to celebrate. We don't need those messages of congratulations and those flowers. Um, women ought to be able to return home without fear. Uh, they ought to be able to be respected in work and they ought to be respected also in those jobs of care. Domestic work. We. They ought. There ought to be some sort of system of parity. They ought not be penalized in work because of low pay. They ought not be victims of poverty or insecurity either. So we need to guarantee women, uh, access to work without discrimination. A just pay is the first form of freedom that ought to exist there. Um, at the same time, half of the country is, uh, half of the population finds itself in terrible jobs where they're not properly remunerated. And now our, our parliament wants to offer a system of parity where there's equal rights, where there are equal rights for women in jobs and for a better life. And this is something which will facilitate all and will help our economies grow at the same time.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “Use the opportunities that are there and make sure that we provide for the future. It's very important to raise the level of ambition in the various sectors as well. Be very prudent at the same time. The chairman asked for the speaker to speak a little bit more slowly. Thank you. Thank you very much, chairman. Um, we do feel that it's very important to raise the level of ambition in a number of different sectors, and it's very, very positive indeed that certain sectors like textiles, steel, iron, that they may be included as well. And we do feel that they have an important impact from numerous different points of view, particularly from the environmental point of view. And plastics, polymers, chemicals, detergents as well. Very important from the environmental point of view as well. So we have to have a broad, uh, vision if you like scope as well. Be very inclusive on on this front of eco design and also eco design has to be seen in the broader context of the new Green Deal, which is something which will be of great concern to us during this particular legislature. Sustainability. In other words, all of this put together is for long term effectiveness, ambition as well in the direction of sustainability, increasing development and providing welfare for us and for generations to come. Thank you very much.”
  Ecodesign & durability
• “The right in Europe is no longer in hiding. Putin brought war back to Europe. A global conflict that is still ongoing. And now they're humiliating our countries. Applauding Trump is undermining our production, our companies, by slapping tariffs on us. Unprecedented tariffs leading to rises in prices. The anti-europeans anti Italians the anti patriots in fact Salvini, Meloni and so on despite their names are engaging in these trade wars, bending the knee before the new boss. And because they've failed, they point the finger of blame at the Green Deal. They disseminate hate and incite violence, but they have no vision for the future. We want development. A fairer Europe, a Europe that will protect rights and freedoms. Thank you.”
  EU-US trade relations
• “Um, I think it's very important to be very decisive as far as the sustainability of our productive systems and to serve, once again our undertakings so that they can be more competitive on the international global, on the global stage right now to create an environment for investments as well, but have proper implementation of an Ecodesign framework, which would, I do feel, uh, underline the seriousness with which we confront these particular issues. So the implementation of these norms in all sectors is extremely important. But we understand that the products in the sector, which will not be included in this very first working plan, may remain outside the conditions foreseen by the regulation for a number of years to come as well. And now we have to take into consideration that that particular period between forging and implementation is one which we have to be very, very careful about. There's great sensitivity with regard to that as well. So the working plan is there, but a working plan, which has to be very ambitious in a broad sense, covering numerous different categories. Um, um, reference to eight article 18 where it states specifically the typologies, the categories as well of the various products. So we have to move forward with, uh, certainty if we don't move forward in a very, very swift and decisive fashion, we may end up in a quagmire. So I do think that we have to be very, very speedy on this particular issue.”
  Ecodesign & durability
• “Thank you, Madam Chair. I will speak in Italian and so. Thank you. And thank you, Madam Chair, for organizing this event. I look at it in detail. I'd like to thank all the colleagues who have spoken. The Greek case is a turning point, and maybe we don't understand it fully just yet, because this is a legal material that's being circulated online. So violence being done further upstream because you have these images which are being created artificially, and it's no longer just a matter of, um, stealing a photo and then sharing it on the internet. You just have to ask AI to do it for you. And this really changes everything. So it means every woman, every girl in every and every minor underage girl is now going to be, um, within reach of these mobile phones. It's not just about violating privacy. It's not just about a lack of consent. No, this really is the appropriation of the body and the digital identity of people. And then there's another aspect here, and perhaps it's even more worrying. And this concerns young people. This technology is creating a new kind of socializing violence. And these young people don't see themselves as having committed some sort of crime because it's done through an app. It's done quickly, it's done anonymously, and it has been without consequence thus far. So there's risk here that this act is being normalized. But it really is a serious kind of gender based violence. So that's why we need to look at a response. And just using a repression response is not enough. We need to look at tech and how respect is included. Now we're always lagging behind. However, we need to be able to anticipate these phenomena because we've got all of these experts.”
  Regulation of pornography in the EU
• “They face abuse, threats, and women are not free to move around, even in the social media space. When they sometimes have to do their jobs online. Body shaming is a type of very serious violence, but we don't have enough data. Imagine that. Why? Because this concerns women. And since this affects us women, we simply don't study this phenomenon because there's for the reasons I mentioned already, the age of victims is lower and lower. We have young girls who are exposed, unfortunately, to to this type of violence. Well, we like Leonora. Well, all of us here, adult women, Women who have a role to play. We know how to defend ourselves. But our daughters young girls don't. Don't know how to defend themselves. And this causes crises. Depression, isolation. Many have actually taken their own lives due to the shame and the humiliation they have had to face. So the algorithms that. Artificial intelligence are based on our algorithms that have been studied and created by men. This is the problem. It artificial intelligence is still in the hands of men. And they reproduce the same types of discrimination and prejudice, the typical of a patriarchal society. And so there should be a clear legislation that sets limits and safeguards. There should be better training. There should be digital education. We should educate experts. And also we should allow help for judges to prosecute these people. And we should impose on those responsible for providing these services. Sanctions, if they don't immediately delete the material, that is, that is a damage to women's dignity.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “Thank you very much, president. Now we have a decisive legislature before us in order to achieve the Green Deal as a socialist Democrat. I feel that this is a wonderful opportunity to relaunch economy for our future generations. Now in Italy, in Emilia Romagna, once again has been hit by floods. Few days before that, it was Eastern Europe which suffered the consequences of climate change with extreme weather phenomena. So with this particular reality before us, Mr. Orban, who visited Italy a couple of days ago, spoke about reconsidering the Green Deal, essentially blocking everything now, irrespective of the fact that his own population was struck by this terrible climate related catastrophe, there seems to be a total disconnect here. Now, as far as the Hungarian presidency, what does it plan to do to to protect economies, citizens, to provide for prosperity through sustainable development? Or will it be just defending industry which will continue along the same path as if nothing is happening right now? Now, I'd like to ask and hope that by 2025, as far as the revision of the particular targets that have been set. Well, well, quite the opposite. We feel that this is something totally undesirable and totally scandalous. Actually, we want fresh air, a healthy environment to live in. This proposal, which is of great concern these this revision for 2025, is something of serious consequences for citizens and will create a terribly detrimental situation. I'd like to know what your opinion is with regard to this, and what concretely do you plan to do on this particular front? Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Sophie. Our next speaker.”
  Climate efforts
• “The day like this, World Cancer Day, they're all very good for, for for politics because they remind us of, uh, the priorities of people that believe in Europe. But they shouldn't be the occasion for promises, but they should be an instrument to reinforce our, policies. The commission can talk about fighting cancer when spending on social spending has drastically cut. I can't see anyone here from the commission. Uh, in this in the room this evening. What a shame. I don't understand how the right wing can talk about this priority when they're trying to dismantle the Green Deal. Um, and they're not saying anything about, um, the issue of tumors and what they're caused or, um, the dangers of tobacco or alcohol and how we need policies that focus on prevention and provide access to everyone to health services, quality health services, citizens health is a priority, which should be defended with facts, with actions, not just words.”
  EU measures on lifestyle-related behaviours (smoking, drinking, eating, etc.)
• “Thank you very much, chairman. I'd like to thank the authors of this important study, which I think has provided us with very useful data or on the work that we have done, but also what remains to be done. The European Beating cancer Plan, as has been pointed out, is an excellent example of what Europe can do when it takes specific steps in a united fashion with political will and a clear vision. It has put at the heart of the European Union's debate the health of citizens combating ill and illness, which directly and indirectly has affected practically all of the European Union's families. I fully agree with what Mr. Aluko has said. We are disappointed. Disappointed because on a fundamental point to do with prevention, we haven't really seen much progress or any. Practically nothing has been done with the commission. Despite the fact that there is continuity under president von der Leyen, it hasn't really achieved very much when it comes to reducing the principal factors to reduce risk smoking, alcohol and so on, as you pointed out. We have our aim for 2040, which is a tobacco free generation. The plan was put forward in 2021 and in the 2026 work programme. There's no mention yet of a revision of the directives on tobacco use.”
  Smoking regulation
• “Mental health is one of the ills of our age. Nobody is spared but it's often the weakest who bear the brunt. It is young people who are showing clear signs of these illnesses which are often diagnosed early on and then place a burden on families that they struggle to deal with. We also have problems with young people at school. Notwithstanding all of this mental health support is not a public welfare benefit and too many people are left to their own devices. And often the problem is not one for the person concerned to deal with alone but for society which has to deal with people who have been left on their own. And that is why the European Union should push member states to include mental health as one of their priorities in a genuine European Health Union, something that we still need to complete.”
  EU policy on mental health
• “8th of March, Women's Day. But there's not much to celebrate. We don't need those messages of congratulations and those flowers. Um, women ought to be able to return home without fear. Uh, they ought to be able to be respected in work and they ought to be respected also in those jobs of care. Domestic work. We. They ought. There ought to be some sort of system of parity. They ought not be penalized in work because of low pay. They ought not be victims of poverty or insecurity either. So we need to guarantee women, uh, access to work without discrimination. A just pay is the first form of freedom that ought to exist there. Um, at the same time, half of the country is, uh, half of the population finds itself in terrible jobs where they're not properly remunerated. And now our, our parliament wants to offer a system of parity where there's equal rights, where there are equal rights for women in jobs and for a better life. And this is something which will facilitate all and will help our economies grow at the same time.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “Thank you, Madam President. 2022 the reports of sexual abuse online of of children were 30 times more than in 2010. The networks use live streaming dedicated channels and use AI generated material which allow the perpetrators to hide from penal sanctions. We need to react with force. We need to deal with the definition of pedophilia and pornographic, paedophilic pornographic material, and look at these abuse manuals as well. Of course, we cannot support the existence of those things, only an approach that will be that is child centred, with respectful forms of investigations and appropriate psychological support is okay. We also need to have cooperation that is very close between different states, as well as in Europol and Eurojust and other such agencies, because this sort of abuse knows no borders and our protection should know no borders. Thank you.”
  Privacy & detection of online child abuse
• “8th of March, Women's Day. But there's not much to celebrate. We don't need those messages of congratulations and those flowers. Um, women ought to be able to return home without fear. Uh, they ought to be able to be respected in work and they ought to be respected also in those jobs of care. Domestic work. We. They ought. There ought to be some sort of system of parity. They ought not be penalized in work because of low pay. They ought not be victims of poverty or insecurity either. So we need to guarantee women, uh, access to work without discrimination. A just pay is the first form of freedom that ought to exist there. Um, at the same time, half of the country is, uh, half of the population finds itself in terrible jobs where they're not properly remunerated. And now our, our parliament wants to offer a system of parity where there's equal rights, where there are equal rights for women in jobs and for a better life. And this is something which will facilitate all and will help our economies grow at the same time.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “I'd really like to thank Leonora. Thank you for sharing your terrible story. And thank you also for being so honest, because speaking about it here and sharing it with us is not simple. It's not easy because it means reliving through those horrible moments. Thank you also. To the other speakers, rapporteur, you've given us a very clear picture today because violence is becoming stronger, and now it's happening in a place where we are used to spend a lot of our time. So social media and the digital world, and we can see that violence and mistreatment is no longer limited to real life, to our physical world. So the workplace and the streets. Places where we live, including in our family setting. Now, this has extended to our technological life, our life on social media. So there are four things that have really frightened me. First, the women that are most exposed to violence are women who have the courage to show their own ideas, to defend their own ideas. To fight for things. These are women who are committed in politics or in their professions and. They are economically independent. They are women who. Cause fear and are hated because they are a threat to the patriarchy. They are a threat to the power of men. And so they are punished. They are attacked with misinformation. They are weakened. In an attempt to remove them from public and professional life. Secondly, women's bodies are more attacked on social media compared to men's bodies, not only on social media, of course, but that is what we're concerned with? Here they are.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “Thank you very much, chair. And I'd like to thank you, Minister, for your presentation. Now, we launched in the European Union, the European Union of Health, a very important package of legislation. We the first programme for the fight against cancer. Also the space for um medical data and the pharmaceutical area as well. All of this very important, particularly because there's great discrimination between the citizens or among citizens as concerns accessibility or access to health. And does the Hungarian presidency intend to react in some way in order to make sure that basic health care is provided to all Europeans, establishing a minimum level of health care at the European level? That's my first question, Minister. The second question is, uh, consideration more than a question. We know that prevention is the most important strategy in order to eliminate certain health care issues and to fight disease. Now, from a economic sustainability point of view, I'd like to say that it is a very important strategy. Is there any sort of thought about a prevention mechanism or prevention for non-communicable diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease, cancer and other similar such conditions? A prevention programme, we've seen a growth of very, very, um, a very aggressive tumors, a growth in these types of conditions. And there are a number of different reports that have been put together with regard to risk factors. Alcohol and tobacco, number one and number two. So as far as tobacco and alcohol are dealing with this particular problem, What is going to be done in order to limit the use and consumption of alcohol and tobacco? Thank you very much. Thank you very much.”
  EU measures on lifestyle-related behaviours (smoking, drinking, eating, etc.)
• “They're telling us what is happening. They're telling us the direction it's headed. So I think that just trying to ban this is not enough. We need to take action when it comes to education, when it comes to respect, and also when it comes to our digital usage, and we've got the initiative from the commission to step up the responsibility and liability on the side of the platforms. I think that's going in the right direction. The harm caused at digital level is actually institutional, as we've heard before, and we're not able to protect the victims, but that should be our duty. So I think that we need to work hard on education and prevention and even access to the technology. So that's why I've got some questions for the rapporteur. Which educational tools do you think we can use in schools to make people understand that creating the image is an act of violence, and it's not the creative use of artificial intelligence. And then another question, is it realistic to think of having some kind of limits to access for young people and to those who are most sensitive to AI and how it's used on the social media. Or is there a risk here that we would just see the phenomenon move? And then my third and last question is how can we take action upstream? So on the models and on the companies who are developing those tools to make sure that there is prevention included in the design, and it's not just one that we're looking at in terms of the victims.”
  Transparency and oversight of AI-generated content
• “The effects of climate change continue to hit European citizens. We've seen the effects in all our countries seen a proliferation of natural disasters and all the effects on public health, but the effects are not equally spread. They strike the weakest, most hard, and they exacerbate inequality as well as social disparities. Many European countries experienced unprecedented heat waves, and others are dealing as a matter of urgency with the causes of climate change. And as an institution, we are duty bound to try to mitigate the effects of climate change. And we need to look at overhauling and modernising the housing of the most vulnerable. Also, make sure that town planners make sure that our urban areas can deal with these challenges. We have people who are being pushed to use their air conditioning more often, and that leads inexorably to the warming of our cities. Whereas we should be looking at ways of improving the quality of people's lives and helping our environment.”
  Energy efficiency
• “Thank you. Thank you very much. President. Chairman. Rather. And I'd like to thank the colleagues as well. I'd like to thank the commission as well for this very interesting presentation as well, which describes the situation right now as concerns labeling and the implementation of the regulation Ecodesign and the work that's been done on the basis of the working plan. Now, at this particular point, first of all, I hope that this is an opportunity to accelerate the implementation of the regulation implementation, which has been expected for quite some time by enterprises and by citizens as well. Now, I'd like to remind you that over during the previous legislature, this particular issue was heavily discussed. And I'm really glad right now that there's this climate of cooperation, this dedication as well. Indeed, that with all of this, we'll be able to work on the various issues that come on the forefront now as concerns the working plan. I think indeed, we need a very, very close framework, which has been forged indeed, and to focus on sensitive issues which were brought up in the course of the presentation. But I think the reflection on the times right now, I think that the definition of the product and the various categories which have been set down according to the fixed parameter of the regulation, are much more urgent right now. I think we have to deliver a clear, strong message on this, and this is our responsibility in the course of this particular legislature in order to be very, very consistent, to provide that certainty to investors, to undertakings as well, and to really move forward towards the targets that we've set, particularly in these ever so tempestuous times.”
  Ecodesign & durability
• “There's no reason for this. The commission has to get started on this because each day that goes by means lives lost, and we are not doing what we should be doing. There's nothing either on alcohol. There's been no proposal to enough about informing citizens. There shouldn't be a kind of prohibitionist measure, but should point out the risks associated with consuming alcohol. There hasn't been any proposal on compulsory labelling or on health. And we're not talking about a Nutri score kind of traffic light system. That's not what we want. I suspect that it's the lobbies that are winning on this one rather than citizens and on rather than concern for their health. The Commission needs to get started on tackling this doubt that many have. And I think that it's also our role now to push the commission to take steps and stick to its promises. Now, of course, there are many other things that we need to look at with this when it comes to proper implementation of the plan, and I can't wait to get started on working with you with a fellow members, um, with, uh, the Commission for a proper implementation of the work that has been done in the previous legislature. Thank you.”
  Drinking regulation